Stop losing Likes to the Magellan Evaluation. Here’s how to unlock fast travel, move the DHV Magellan efficiently, understand the penalty math, and decide when to fly and when to finish a region first.
Fast travel in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach is powerful, convenient—and very easy to misuse. The DHV Magellan lets you blink across Mexico and Australia once you’ve progressed the story, but hauling delivery cargo with you triggers the Magellan Evaluation, a hefty Likes penalty that slows facility ranks and unlocks. In testing by PC Gamer, items delivered after traveling with the Magellan were worth roughly 25% of their normal Likes (i.e., about a 75% reduction). That’s the difference between a quick clear and hours of extra grinding.
Below is a complete, no-nonsense guide to unlocking fast travel, moving the Magellan anywhere, understanding exactly what Magellan Evaluation does, and choosing the right strategy so you don’t tank your ratings.
Fast travel unlock requirements
- Story gate: Fast travel unlocks after you complete Order No. 12 in Episode 3 at West Fort Knot (F1)—the mission that culminates in the Mecha BT fight near F1. Afterward, rest in your private room aboard the Magellan and you’ll get the tutorial letting you reposition the ship.
- Alternate completion path: If you choose the mission option to “pretend you won,” it still counts for unlocking fast travel at this point in the story.
Bottom line: You cannot fast travel during the opening hours. Get through Order 12, rest, and you’ll see the “Chart Course” prompt become available.
The fast-travel toolbox (Magellan now, others later)
The DHV Magellan (primary fast travel):
Once unlocked, you can move the Magellan between tar pits associated with locations you’ve already visited and linked to the Chiral Network. Not every location has a tar pit, but most major hubs do. The ship “dives” through tar and re-emerges at your destination, and you can move it even if Sam is not aboard.
Beach Jump (later-game option):
Later in the story (after Episode 6), you’ll also unlock Beach Jump between facilities that have Transponders (big shelters with private rooms/garages) via the terminal’s Facility Features menu. Beach Jump is instant but doesn’t carry cargo or vehicles—great for repositioning without risking penalties.
How to move the Magellan (step-by-step)
You can reposition the Magellan from anywhere via the Ring Terminal (world map), or while you’re aboard.
- Open the Ring Terminal (press Options).
- Hold the X button to Chart Course. This reveals all valid fast-travel destinations.
- Switch maps (L1/R1) to move between Australia and Mexico.
- Select a tar pit/facility you’ve already connected to the Chiral Network and confirm to send the Magellan there.
- If you’re aboard the ship, Sam travels with it. If you’re out in the field, the ship moves without you—and you can board it later at the new location.
Notes & limitations:
- You can move between continents as soon as fast travel is unlocked (again, only to places you’ve linked).
- During certain key story sequences, fast travel becomes temporarily disabled. If “Chart Course” is grayed out, progress the main order.
Magellan Evaluation explained (the penalty that matters)
Whenever you transport delivery cargo using the Magellan, the game flags that order with a “Magellan Evaluation.” That’s the warning pop-up you’ll see when charting a course with cargo onboard: “You will receive the ‘Magellan evaluation’ for order or request where the DHV Magellan is used to transport cargo.” The practical effect is a steep reduction in Likes when you complete the delivery. In PC Gamer’s side-by-side tests on two items, Likes dropped from 45 → 11 and 393 → 101—roughly a 75% cut (or, put differently, items are worth about 25% of their normal Likes).
Why that’s a big deal: Likes raise facility connection levels and unlock gear/schematics. Dropping to 25% massively slows your progression and can jeopardize top grades on orders where the rating is tight. Publications caution that relying on Magellan for deliveries is not recommended if you’re chasing the best evaluations.
Does the penalty apply to all cargo?
The rule of thumb is simple: If that order’s cargo rode the Magellan at any point, it’s penalized. It doesn’t matter whether it was on Sam’s back or stowed on the ship—the order is still flagged with Magellan Evaluation on turn-in.
What the penalty is not
- It doesn’t cancel the delivery; you still get credit—just far fewer Likes.
- It doesn’t appear to damage cargo by itself; it purely affects the Likes awarded for that order. (The damage you take en route is a separate rating component, as usual.)
When to use Magellan vs. finish a region first
Because of that 75% Likes haircut, the safest habit is to clear an area before you hop. Grab the available orders, build roads/ziplines you plan to maintain, and deliver traditionally to secure your highest ratings and quick facility ranks. Once you’ve tidied up a region’s board, then use the Magellan to reposition to your next cluster of work. This “finish-first” rhythm minimizes accidental Magellan flags and keeps your upgrade pace brisk.
Use the Magellan for:
- Long repositioning once you’re empty-handed (no delivery cargo on you or the ship).
- Cross-continent travel (Mexico ↔ Australia) between job clusters.
- Returning to the ship to rest, access storage, or prep for a new region.
- Story objectives that require a quick move and don’t hinge on Likes.
Avoid using the Magellan for:
- Any order you’re trying to A/S/LLL rank—Magellan Evaluation makes top scores much harder. Guides call out that Magellan use for deliveries is a poor choice if you care about the “best possible score.”
- Facility level rushes where you need big Like bursts to unlock gear fast; the 75% cut wastes your time.
Alternative: If you’re mid-run and realize you need to reposition fast, Beach Jump is ideal because it moves Sam without moving cargo—no Magellan Evaluation risk. You’ll have to leave delivery cargo behind, but it’s perfect for swapping regions to pick up materials, vehicles, or to answer a new Standard Order without sabotaging your Likes.
Practical play patterns that save your Likes
1) The “empty hop” ritual
Before you chart a course, offload all order cargo (and any lost cargo you intend to deliver) into a facility locker. Move the ship, then pick up cargo at your new starting point. No cargo rode the ship → no Magellan Evaluation. You keep your full Likes potential intact.
2) Cluster-first routing
Work a map in clusters. For example, clear jobs around West Fort Knot and nearby preppers using roads/zip-lines/vehicles. Only when the board is light do you “empty hop” to the next cluster (say, along the coast or back to Mexico) and repeat. Media guides explicitly recommend clearing jobs in an area before moving on to avoid the penalty trap.
3) Beach Jump for tactical swaps
Need to meet an NPC or grab gear across the map? If you’ve reached Episode 6 and unlocked Beach Jump, use it to teleport yourself without risking your current order’s Likes. Then resume normal delivery in that region. (Again: Beach Jump can’t bring cargo or vehicles.)
4) Don’t over-trust “fast”
It’s tempting to think: “I’ll just move everything by ship and power-level connections later.” The 75% haircut means you’ll spend far longer catching up. It’s usually faster overall to make one solid on-foot/vehicle run than four Magellan-penalized hops.
FAQ: Fast travel, Magellan, and Likes
Q: Can I move the ship without being on it?
A: Yes. Chart Course from the map, and the Magellan will reposition to the selected tar pit. You can board later at that location.
Q: Does fast travel work everywhere?
A: No. You can only target destinations with tar pits that you’ve visited and linked to the Chiral Network. Not every location has one.
Q: How do I avoid Magellan Evaluation?
A: Don’t let delivery cargo ride the Magellan. Empty your loadouts into lockers first, or use Beach Jump (later) when you must reposition quickly.
Q: Will I still complete the delivery if I use Magellan?
A: Yes—you’ll complete it, but you’ll earn significantly fewer Likes, slowing facility ranks and unlocks.
Q: Should I ever use Magellan for deliveries?
A: Rarely. If a mission doesn’t need Likes (you just want it done) or you’re time-constrained and willing to sacrifice progression efficiency, it’s an option. Most guides advise against it when you care about ratings/connection levels.
Example decision flow (use this in the moment)
- Am I carrying delivery cargo I care about?
- Yes → Don’t fast travel. Finish the region on foot/vehicle.
- No → Continue.
- Do I just need to reposition or rest?
- Yes → Use Magellan (empty) or Beach Jump (if unlocked).
- No → Continue.
- Do I need Likes/connection levels from this next delivery?
- Yes → Avoid Magellan for that order.
- No → Consider Magellan only if you accept the Likes penalty.
Pro tips & small gotchas
- Watch for the pop-up: If you see the Magellan Evaluation warning while charting a course, back out and empty your cargo. That message is the last safety net before you nuke your Likes.
- Not every hub is a tar pit: If your preferred outpost isn’t selectable, route to the nearest tar pit and drive/zip the last leg.
- Expect occasional lockouts: Story beats can disable fast travel—don’t panic, just progress the order.
- Finish-first pays off: Multiple outlets recommend clearing an area before moving on so you don’t accidentally penalize a half-finished job set.
Quick reference (summary)
- Unlocks: After Order 12 at West Fort Knot, then rest to get the tutorial.
- Move the ship: Ring Terminal → Hold X to Chart Course → pick a connected tar pit (L1/R1 swaps continents). You can move the Magellan without Sam aboard.
- Penalty math: If cargo rides the Magellan, final delivery Likes drop to ~25% of normal (Magellan Evaluation).
- Best practice: Finish a region first, then empty-hop to the next. Use Beach Jump (later) for quick, cargo-free repositioning.
Final thought
Fast travel in DS2 is designed to respect your time without trivializing the game’s core loop. Use the Magellan as a strategic repositioning tool—not a delivery shortcut—and your Likes, ranks, and unlocks will climb the way Kojima intended.
